Patients with myelodysplastic syndrome who received early disease-modifying therapy (DMT) with azacitidine, decitabine, or lenalidomide were more apt to achieve transfusion independence than those who were given the same type of treatment later, according to a retrospective study involving 508 individuals.

Participants were identified from the SEER registry and Medicare claims from 2006-2012. Investigators estimated the impact of DMT-initiation (≤3 vs >3 months from start of transfusion dependence) on the likelihood of achieving transfusion independence. Among the results:

• Early initiators received DMT within an average of 28 days, vs 187 days for late initiators.
• 62% of early initiators used erythropoiesis-stimulating agents before achieving transfusion independence, vs nearly three-fourths of late initiators.
• Early initiators were 69% more likely to achieve transfusion independence.
• Patients who met minimum active therapy-exposure requirements were more than twice as likely to achieve such.